Shayna Baszler def. Dakota Kai

The Captain of Team Kick challenges The Queen of Spades for the NXT Women's Title in a deeply personal championship showdown. Video courtesy of the award-winning WWE Network.

Realizing that she held the psychological edge over Dakota Kai, NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler toyed with her challenger in the opening moments of their title bout, shoving Kai into the corner and peppering her with kicks to the leg. The ruthless Queen of Spades then ramped up her viciousness, repeatedly stomping on Kai’s ankle and causing the Kiwi Superstar’s leg to twist in grotesque fashion.

Baszler added insults to the injury, mocking Kai’s “Captain of Team Kick” nickname before torqueing Kai’s limb with a prolonged ankle lock. Courageously, Kai refused to quit, and she finally broke free with an enzuigiri kick to the champion’s head. With a noticeable limp, Kai then fired off big boots in the corner, but Baszler soon snuffed out her comeback, catching her in the deadly Kirifuda Clutch to score the submission win.

Not satisfied with merely beating Kai, Baszler then sought to embarrass and injure her, as she reapplied the Kirifuda Clutch after the bell. As Kai began to fade, Nikki Cross — who’d motivated Kai prior to her match against Baszler — entered the ring, ripped the champion off Kai and briefly absconded with the NXT Women’s Title. Cross then challenged a confused Baszler to an impromptu match, anointed the now-revived Kai the referee and hit Baszler with the Purge as Baszler tried to retrieve her title. Kai administered the unofficial three-count, and NXT’s twisted sister did a victory lap with the championship.

Baszler might have prevailed against the determined but outmatched Kai, but a potential new challenger — one who doesn’t know what it means to be intimidated by a bully — seems to be on the horizon.